Apparatus for massaging purposes



July 10, 1934. "r. AUBERGER APPARATUS FOR MASSAGING PURPOSES Filed April 25, 1932 2 Sheets-sheaf. 1

:7. Huber 6 July 10, 1934. AUBERGER 1,965,918

APPARATUS FOR MASSAGING PURPOSES Filed April 25, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 {I n L l n n n n n l a 8 xx 9 I LL J flwber puvewfiQ Patented July 10, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE Application April 25, 1932, Serial No. 607,410 In France May 19, 1931 2 Claims.

The invention relates to a roller apparatus for massaging purposes, and its principal object is to provide a particularly effective massage in heated air while the apparatus is of reduced bulk and weight.

This apparatus which comprises a roller mounted to rotate freely in a fork-shaped holder which extends into a handle, is characterized particularly in that, the handle is integral with a casing containing a fan and the driving electrical motor thereof, the fork prongs which extend upward from the casing are hollow and serve to provide passages both for the fan-delivered air which is fed inside the roller and for the wires supplying electric current to a heating resistance fitted within the roller.

One embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention is described hereafter in detail and illustrated diagrammatically in the accompanying drawings to which reference is made.

Fig. 1 is a front view of the apparatus,

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view of same showing a section across a diametrical vertical plane, some parts being shown in elevation.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of same along the line AA, Fig. 1, and

Figure 4 is a detail end view showing the hollow axial tube as well as the holder of the heating resistance and the members which direct the fan-driven air on to the heating resistance.

Referring to the drawings, 1 is the roller which may be made of brass for instance, 2 are hemispheric proiecting elements, or like massaging elements, fitted on the periphery thereof, these may be made of fibre or any other suitable insulating material. 3 are holes cut out of the roller between the said elements.

Roller 1 is mounted to rotate freely about a hollow axial tube 4, one end thereof being open and the other closed, this tube has a longitudinal slit 6 above which is provided a heating resistance 7 wound round a small plate 8 borne on collars fastened to tube 4.

Between collars 5 are also mounted plates or r screens 9 and 10 in order to force the air fed through the slot 6 of tube 4 around resistance '7.

The holder wherein roller 1 is fitted comprises according to the invention, a casing 11 into which are housed a fan 12 and an electric motor 20 which drives the latter, said casing 11 being designed to extend into handle on the one side and into two hollow strap-forming tubes 13 and 14 on the other side, the said tubes intercommunicate with casing 11 and the axial tube 4 is mounted between them.

Tube 13 is used as a passage for the air delivered by fan 12 which enters into the tube 4 and is then supplied through slit 6 of said tube 4 on to heating resistance 7. Tube 14 provides the passage for the wires 16 and 17 which supply resistance 7 with current.

The mode of operation of this apparatus may be easily understood: a switch 18 is fitted to handle 15 to control the current supply to motor 20 and heating resistance 7. Fan 12 which is only partially covered by cover 19 forces air into passage 13 through which it is fed into roller 1 wherein it is heated by resistance 7, the heated air passing through holes 3 then comes into contact with the skin while the roller is being moved over the part to be massaged.

It will be readily understood that it is possible, without departing from the scope of the invention, to devise modified forms and detail improvements as well as to consider the possibility of use of equivalent means.

I claim:

1. A massaging apparatus comprising a casing having a handle, and a hollow holder including two hollow prongs; the holder extending from the handle and being provided with an opening for admitting air, a hollow roller provided with holes for the passage of air, massaging elements mounted on the periphery of the hollow roller, a tubular pivot closed at one end provided with a lengthwise slit and supported by the two hollow prongs of the hollow holder, the hollow roller being rotatably mounted on the tubular pivot; a fan in the hollow holder adapted to force the air admitted by the opening in the hollow holder through one of the hollow prongs, the open end of the tubular pivot, the lengthwise slit and finally through the holes in the roller; and means for driving the fan, and heating means mounted in the hollow roller over which the air passes before passing through the holes in the hollow roller.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 in which the heating means comprises an electric heating coil; in which the means for driving the fan comprises an electric motor enclosed in the handle of the casing and in which the tubular pivot is provided with holes adjacent the closed end, circuit wires connecting the electric motor and the electric heating means, the wires passing through the other hollow prong and the holes in the tubular pivot adjacent the closed end to the heating means, and means for electrically connecting the circuit wires with a current supply.

THOMAS AUBERGER. 

